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Alaska parents, educators urge $1,000 increase to base student allocation as districts cut programs
Summary
Dozens of parents, teachers and education groups told the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 27 that Alaska schools face program cuts, teacher shortages and closures unless the Legislature raises the base student allocation (BSA). Many callers asked for a $1,000-per-student increase and more funding inside the formula.
Members of the Senate Finance Committee heard repeated pleas on Feb. 27 from parents, teachers and statewide education groups for a large increase to the state’s base student allocation as districts face program cuts, closures and teacher shortages.
Lon Garrison, executive director of the Association of Alaska School Boards, told the committee that his statewide association representing 53 districts “urge[s] the senate to explore ways to significantly increase education funding above the $680 BSA equivalent of FY25.” He said maintaining last year’s benchmark “only preserves the status quo.”
The appeal was echoed by Tom Klaymire, president of NEA Alaska, who called public schools “in crisis” and said districts are closing schools and reducing student supports. “Our students desperately need the most that this committee can possibly muster for a BSA increase for pupil transportation and for major maintenance,” Klaymire said.
Parents and local educators gave personal accounts of how reduced funding has affected students. Sarah Lewis, a Fairbanks parent, said she spent more than $14,000 on private tutoring after her daughter did not qualify for in‑school interventions that were cut; she testified that students face long delays before meeting eligibility thresholds for help. Rachel Blakesley, a parent and nonprofit executive, said that since 2011 the BSA has lost roughly 25 percent of its buying power and cited rising teacher vacancies and growing reliance on nonresident workers.
Multiple speakers asked the committee to raise the BSA by $1,000 and to put more funding inside the formula so districts can offer competitive teacher pay, stabilize programs and maintain transportation. Testimony repeatedly linked underfunding to school closures in rural communities, larger class sizes, cut extracurriculars and difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers.
Why it matters: Testifiers framed school funding as a constitutional and economic issue. Garrison said, “Education is a necessary and constitutionally required investment in our future and that of the state.” Witnesses argued that better‑funded schools help retain families and workers and reduce longer‑term social costs.
The session on Feb. 27 was a public‑testimony hearing; committee members did not vote on budget language at the meeting. The committee agenda included SB 56 (operating budget) and related education line items that will be considered during follow‑up committee work.
Ending: The record of public testimony will be available to staff as the committee prepares operating‑budget recommendations. Committee members did not announce decisions during the Feb. 27 hearing.
